Monday, January 3, 2011

Waffles of Insane Greatness


Isn't "Waffles of Insane Greatness" a pretty grandiose title for a waffle?  Well, they must be pretty good because I made them on three of the nine mornings that I was off work for Christmas break.  'Nuff said.

I bought a Belgian waffle iron at Costco in November 2009.  My mom and I both enjoy waffles and we figured we may as well buy a restaurant quality waffle iron (for $50) instead of continuing to spend $10 per waffle at random breakfast spots.  We were supposed to share the waffle iron, but of course it lives happily at my home and mom visits it occasionally.

What makes a waffle great?  Well, traditional Belgian waffle recipes require yeast, an overnight fermentation period, and the separation of eggs.  And yes, the waffles are indeed wonderful:  light texture and crisp and brown on the outside with a silky interior.  However, sometimes I just can't get myself together to plan breakfast the night before.  I'm human.  Waffles of Insane Greatness give me nearly the same texture as a yeast waffle with an overnight rise, but they only take 30 minutes.  This is my new staple waffle recipe.  I promise you can handle this, even if you've never made waffles.  I can get a restaurant-quality breakfast on the table in 45 minutes (from out of bed to sitting at the table) with this recipe, and that includes setting the table, making bacon, and brewing coffee.  If you can measure ingredients, you can make these waffles.  I promise. 

Tip:  If you are investing in a waffle iron (I prefer the deep ridges of a Belgian iron, but you may like the traditional shallow waffles), splurge for stainless steel.  It makes a crisper waffle. 

I've completely abandoned pre-made pancake and waffle mixes after experimenting with recipes for this blog.  Between this recipe and Buttermilk Pancakes, I'll never pick up a box of dry mix in the baking aisle again.  Breakfast from scratch is worth the extra ten minutes, believe me.

P.S.
These waffles freeze well.  Use any remaining batter to make extra waffles, then place them on a baking sheet in a freezer to get them cold and just stick them in plastic freezer bags.  When you're ready to eat them just preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees and bake them for about 10 minutes or until crisp.  E hates cleaning the waffle iron, so I just figured out I can make two meal's worth at a time.



Waffles of Insane Greatness
found all over the Blogisphere and at on FoodNetwork.com
Makes 2 1/2 Belgian waffles (serves 2 adults, double if necessary)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk 
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milks, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.  (I cook bacon, brew coffee, and set the table while the batter sits.)

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

11 comments:

  1. Homemade waffles sounds delicious right about now! As for making them from scratch, that could be a bit of a stretch for me. But a waffle machine sounds perfect! We received a Macy's gift card, so maybe we'll use it on some new kitchen supplies :)

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  2. You know how long I've wanted a wafflemaker. I put one on our registry...no one bought it. I got a blender, mixer, but no wafflemaker. You inspire to make it from scratch...when I finally get one.

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  3. mmmm those look so good! A waffle maker has been on my wishlist for a quite a while

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  4. You know how much I love breakfast food, and i LOVE belgian waffles! I don't have a waffle iron, and my cozy apt is quickly running out of storage space for anything. But believe me, a waffle iron is on my list for when I upgrade apartments. And I too have abandoned the premade pancake mixes. They just don't hold a candle to the mix made from scratch

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  5. The strange thing is I only like Ihop pancakes. I wont eat homemade but ill eat homemade waffles and its pretty much the same batter. I really want a belgian waffle maker, we currently have the thin one and its just not the same :(

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  6. I've NEVER made waffles from scratch but these look so good that I'm willing to try!

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  7. I wish I had one with my coffee this morning.

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  8. okay, if you say they're that good then I'll give htem a go. They do look insanely good!

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  9. A combination of colors, aroma and tastes - hmmmm simply delicious! A nice way to start your day as you enjoy every bite, eating with the rest of the family.

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